


Do Or Die

by Silver_Wraith



Category: Banana Bus Squad
Genre: Action & Romance, M/M, Revenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-20
Updated: 2017-10-13
Packaged: 2018-11-03 00:34:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10956018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silver_Wraith/pseuds/Silver_Wraith
Summary: Evan lost everything after a gang of sadistic robbers erased his family in cold blood. Seeking revenge, he hires Jonathan, a professional hitman to go after the ones that took his reason to live. But that unusual encounter can give Evan a new motive to go on...





	1. Where Do I Begin?

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, Tumblr really liked this idea for an AU, so I decided to give it a shot since two of my other fics are coming to an end soon. This chapter is a bit angsty, still I hope you all enjoy it!

Weekends were always something Evan looked forward to after a busy week, and with his recent trip to Toronto to close a great deal for his company, he was glad the work was over for a while. He assumed responsibility of his family’s technology business after his father retired and the smile of pride in the patriarch’s face at the recent success of the corporation was the best reward he could ever receive. On top of that, he had a beautiful fiancée waiting for him along with a special dinner at their beach house his family had planned to celebrate their engagement. He drove all the way back to Los Angeles with a warm feeling surrounding his heart for how things couldn’t be going better for him, and as he saw the media in his dashboard signaling a call from his assistant, he soon answered it, hoping to hear what he expected from a loyal friend that was the definition of competence.

“Got anything for me, Bryce?”

_“I just wanted to tell you the diamond collar was delivered today. Your future wife should have it in hands right now.”_

“Thank you for doing it for me. Sometimes I don’t think where I’d be if it wasn’t for you.”

_“Just doing my job. I’m sure she will love it, knowing you were the one who chose it.”_

“Speaking of love, take the next week off. Go on a trip with Ohm. I know he doesn’t like when you work so late like this.”

_“Are you sure you won’t need me? I mean, Ohm has really been wanting to go to the Caribbean and…”_

“Say no more. Just choose the hotel, pack and it will be all on me. You two deserve it.”

_“Wow, I don’t know what to say.”_

“No need to say anything. Just enjoy it. Oh, and I have another call on hold. I see you later, Bryce.”

_“Goodnight then.”_

Evan then ended his current call to answer the other one, knowing exactly who it was. And he laughed when he was greeted with an excited scream from his beloved one.

“I assume you liked your gift.”

_“It’s so beautiful! I’m already wearing it. Your mom once told me you had good taste, and I see what she means now. Thanks babe!”_

“Anything for my lady. Are you with my folks already?”

_“Yes! They are here with me. Hope you arrive soon. Dinner looks delicious.”_

“Oh, so you want me just so you can eat? And I thought you loved me.”

_“You silly. I love you. I just… What was that?”_

“Babe, is something wrong?”

 _“I thought I heard something…”_ As soon as his fiancée said that, Evan could hear glass shattering and followed by a scream, but this time it was of distress. _“Oh, my God! They’re inside!”_

“Honey, who is it? Talk to me!”

_“I-I don’t know… They have guns!”_

“What are they doing?”

_“Oh, my God!”_

“Babe? Babe!” Evan tried getting a response but the call was cut short right after it. He dialed his assistant’s number, hoping nothing bad would happen to any of his beloved ones.

_“Evan? Did you forget to tell me something?”_

“Bryce, call the police and send them to my house.”

_“What? Why? What happened?”_

“Just call them!”

_“Ok, I’ll do it.”_

Evan then hung up and accelerated, going as quick as possible, not caring to get bills for speeding or crossing red lights. His family was his priority and nothing was going to stop him. Soon enough he entered the high-end residence area of the town and parked in the driveway of his modern mansion. Before he went inside, he opened the glove box and pulled out his pistol. He just used it in the shooting range, so he never put a bullet in anything besides a lifeless target. Carefully, he walked out his car and rushed to the entrance of the majestic residence. He could see the lights were all on and the front door was ajar.

With a sigh, he slowly opened it and to his despair, the first thing he sees is his longtime girlfriend trying to crawl away from a man dressed in black with a mask over his face. She has been beaten up along with his parents who seemed to be unconscious. The sadistic man stepped on her back with his heavy boot and pointed his gun towards her head. Evan pointed his own towards the man with trembling hands, which caused the robber to laugh and don’t hesitate at all.

“Drop the gun or she dies.” The deep voice of the intruder sounded and his words couldn’t be clearer. Other two men appeared and pointed each of their guns to his parents’ heads. Evan then let go of his pistol. A fourth one appeared behind him and kicked the weapon away before grabbing his hands and pulling them behind his back. He was then forced to his knees and onto his stomach. The entrepreneur was face to face with his fiancée, as she had a terrified expression on her eyes as they shed tears and smudged her make up. She was wearing the diamond collar he had given her. Unsurprisingly, the robber pushed the end of the barrel of his weapon towards the back of her head. “Funny, I didn’t say that if you dropped the gun, I wouldn’t kill her still.”

“No! No, please! Take everything you want. Leave them alone… I beg you.” Evan pleaded to the intruder, but deep down he knew the other wouldn’t listen.

“It’s pretty sad to watch a man lose his dignity in times like this. Oh well… Kill them!”

“NO!”

With that, his father and mother were shot dead by the other intruders. And then, with a deafening sound, he watched the woman he planned on spending the rest of his days with receive a bullet into her brain, as blood spread over the marble floor. Evan tried to fight his tears and look away from the lifeless person so close to him. But it wasn’t over. He felt himself being hit countless times as the three men now gathered around him, the main intruder watching the rich young man being beaten by kicks and punches. One of them even grabbed one of the chairs and broke it against his back.

“Shit, we gotta bail! The cops are coming!” The leader of the gang said as he heard the sirens and with a grunt, he was forced to leave without completing the job he was sent there for. As one last gesture, he pulled the diamond collar from the girl’s corpse and leaned down close to the Asian descendant’s ear and laughed. “I don’t think she’s gonna need this anymore. You have a lovely house, but I must go now.”

Evan fought to stand up, but he was so weak the only thing he could do was turn around so he was lying on his back. His breathing was heavy and his vision blurry, he probably had more than just a broken bone and a few burst blood vessels in his eyes. Soon, he heard a lot of people enter the mansion and heard the voice of his loyal assistant, who was competent enough to call for an ambulance as the emergency team promptly positioned themselves to his location.

“Here. He’s here.” Bryce said as they placed Evan over the stretcher. The entrepreneur in a vain attempt tried to reach out to the girl that he loved more than himself. He could hear the blond say a few last words before he fell into unconsciousness. “Please take care of him…”

* * *

When Evan opened his eyes again, he was partially blinded by the light on the ceiling. He felt a constant sting on his head and took some time for him to realize he was in the hospital and that one of the crew was sewing one of his wounds back together. Bryce was sitting right beside his bed with a worried expression in his face as he nervously messed around with his necklace. As soon as the assistant noticed his boss was awaken, he quickly stood up and approached the other.

“Evan, how are you feeling?”

“Numb… Can’t feel my face.” The barely moving lips of the Asian descendant made his speech uneasy for the way they were swollen from the earlier beating.

“Must be the anesthetics. You have to rest now…”

“I gotta get out of here, where’s…” Just as Evan was about to ask about his girlfriend, momentarily forgetting she was murdered right before his very eyes. “Oh, yeah…”

“I’m so sorry, Evan. I…”

“Mr. Fong, I’m detective Luke Patterson. Glad that you’re finally awaken. Can we have a word?” The long-bearded man asked after showing his badge.

“Can’t it wait? I mean, he had a pretty rough time.” Bryce tried to reason with the officer, but he knew the other wouldn’t give up.

“I’m sorry, Mr. McQuaid, but the sooner as we get information from your boss, the better chances we have of finding who was behind all this.” The law enforcer replied and moved his attention towards the still injured man. “Did you see the robbers, Mr. Fong?”

“They… They were all wearing masks. Couldn’t see any of their faces.”

“Hum, alright. What about height? Body type?”

“Do I look like a fucking measuring tape to you?”

“We are trying to help. We couldn’t find them once we arrived.”

“Yeah, if you didn’t come in blasting the sirens like fucking clowns, maybe they would be in jail already!”

“I think I should let you calm down for a bit. I’ll leave my card with your assistant. Call me if you remember anything.” With that, the detective left the room, along with the nurse, who finished her service, leaving Bryce alone with his boss. The blond approached the bed once more and sighed, unsure of what to say to the man who literally just had his money.

“They will find out who did this, don’t worry.”

“As if it would bring her back. Those motherfuckers should have killed me as well.”

“Don’t say that. You’re still here. You’re strong enough to overcome this. We-”

“I want to be alone now, Bryce. Please…”

“Sure. I’ll be outside if you need me.”

As soon as the assistant closed the door behind him, Evan burst in tears, unable to hold them back anymore. He started cursing everything, doubting there was a God and wanting it all to be nothing but a horrible dream that he would wake up sooner or later. Unfortunately, the pain in his chest was very real and there was nothing he could do to make it go away.

* * *

“Ok, here we are. I hired some people to restore your house in record time before your arrival. Seems like they did a decent work, huh?” Bryce commented as he helped his boss into the mansion, who was still getting used to using crutches until his injured leg was totally healed. The blond one’s words were truthful since there was no trace of the violence that took place there a week before. Evan stopped right in front of where he watched the life being taken from his future wife. The puddle of blood that covered the marble floor was gone, but it was never going to be erased from his memory.

“I don’t know where I’d be without you, Bryce. But I think you already know that.” Evan tried to sound calm, but being back at his home felt weird. He didn’t even think it should be called like that for the emptiness of its rooms and the louder echo of his lonely footsteps didn’t make him feel welcome inside it anymore. “I meant what I told you before. Go on your trip with Ohm. I’ll be ok.”

“It’s no trouble for me to stay, Ohm said he understands…”

“Go, Bryce. No need for you to stay.”

“You’re the boss. Oh, and I almost forgot. A nurse will come here every day to check on your recovery. They said your leg should be fine in a couple of days.” The blond announced before walking towards the door. “Take care, Evan.”

“You too, Bryce. Enjoy.” The entrepreneur replied and his assistant was gone. Right then, he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket and it took him a while to take it out while still supporting himself with the crutches. “Hello?”

_“Mr. Fong? I’m the coroner responsible for the autopsy and I called to tell you that the bodies had already been released for the funeral service. Your assistant already arranged everything so you shouldn’t be worried. The ceremony should be in a couple of days from now.”_

“Oh, hum… Thanks for letting me know.”

_“There is another matter, I’m afraid. I spoke to your fiancée’s family and I’m sorry to say that, on the same night she was murdered, she planned to tell you she was pregnant. Unfortunately, it was too early for us to be able to do anything to save the baby.”_

Evan then let his phone crash onto the floor, unable to hold it or hold himself up anymore as he also fell onto the ground. As if it wasn’t horrible already, now he had to deal with the fact that he also lost his child. Once again, the tears took over his eyes as he heard the coroner calling out for him from the speaker of his phone, but he didn’t bother to even hung up. The more the time passed, the more he wished he was taken away along with the ones he loved. Still sobbing he laid on his back looking up at the clouds through the skylight on the ceiling right above him.

“Oh God, if You really do exist, why did You desert me?”


	2. Cloudy, With Occasional Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took forever, but it is finally here. Sorry for the long wait. Hope you all like it, though!

Evan didn’t want to get out of the limousine. It wasn’t because of the rain that kept pouring over the window he was looking out of. He didn’t want to say goodbye to the ones that have made his life worth it. He looked horrible. He was told the coffins would have to be closed because of the image of his parents and fiancée's features, destroyed by the shotguns that belonged to the ones responsible to the attack. Flashes of his beloved one being shot dead in front of him kept coming back and he didn’t think he would be able to ever forget the amount of pain that scene carried in his memory. He was alone and didn’t know how long it would take for him to bear the ceremony before he screamed in frustration at his own failure for not being able to save the ones he loved the most. But, while lost in his own thoughts, he was brought back to reality when the rear passenger door opened, revealing the only one he could count on at the moment.

“Evan, everybody is asking for you. They are waiting for your presence so they can continue and, you know…” Bryce’s voice was like a bird singing in the mist and it surely brought a little bit of relief to his damaged soul. His assistant couldn’t be more loyal and even though he was glad to see him at the funeral amongst so many high society figures, he was supposed to go on a trip with his husband like he offered.

“What are you doing here? I told you to go to the Caribbean with Ohm. Please tell me he is not here with you…” Evan questioned, but the lack of response that followed was more than enough. “Go, Bryce. There’s no need for you two to stay.”

“I’m not going to enjoy a trip with you having to face it all by yourself. C’mon, you can do this.” A hand was offered as a signal of help. Bryce had his way with words and to know he would be there by his side, Evan felt a lot less nervous. “We’ll be with you all the way.”

He grabbed the hand and was pulled out of the luxury vehicle, promptly spotting his assistant’s partner and greeting him with a quiet hand shake before using the cruches to properly support himself up. He could read in his eyes how Ryan didn’t want to be there, but the older one would do anything for his blond lover, even if it meant giving up a trip to a sunny place other than a depressing cemetery. He was soon covered by an open umbrella which was held by his assistant, regretting getting off the bed he hadn’t been able to get a second of sleep ever since the tragedy.

Walking with difficulty past a crowd that looked at him like some sort of freak, Evan stopped for a second to put on the pair of sunglasses he had in his pocket, so people wouldn’t know if he was making eye contact or not. He then followed the path, accompanied by Bryce while Ryan did the same a few steps behind. But as soon as Evan’s eyes, hidden behind the dark lenses, encountered the image of the three closed caskets side by side and on display for all of the deceased’s past acquaintances. Businessmen, employees, some of his friends and distant family members… All gathered around the three wooden compartments that contained the reason of Evan’s sorrow.

Silently, he began to walk again, going to the first coffin, while Bryce demonstrated quiet support, which was all that he needed at that moment. He let go of one of the cruches, which his assistant quickly grabbed with his free hand. Running his fingertips over the carved name of his father, the image of the man he always aspired to be at least a fraction of what his progenitor was in life. The casket was locked and he couldn’t see any of them one last time before they were buried. He was glad Bryce was able to hire a good security team to avoid any journalist from making a show with his recent loss. As much as he didn’t want to, he grabbed his crutch and stepped back, before waking to the next one, where the name of his mother was carved into the mahogany right above the spray of lilies, the matriarch’s favorite flowers.

After saying a silent prayer, Evan finally moved to the last ones he needed to say goodbye to. The woman he was supposed to build a family together. Knowing she was carrying a child of his before being murdered was the worst notice he could have ever received. He noticed her parents were there on the other side of the hidden corpse of their daughter, soon joined by their son, all of them mourning their shared loss, the mother not caring about the ruined eyeliner that now marked the tracks of her tears.

“Oh, Evan… How could someone do that to them?” The matriarch rhetorically asked while pulling the still recovering man into a hug after she noticed he was there. He groaned because his ribs hurt from not being completely healed and squeezed by the one who was supposed to be his future mother in law. He knew that after the funeral, he wouldn’t see any of them again. There was no point in keeping a relationship where the only thing he had in common with them was the death of a beloved person. “I’m so sorry, it’s just so hard to do anything these days. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat… Life is so unfair.”

“I feel the same way. Sometimes I want to believe this is all a nightmare, but I haven’t slept ever since, so it hurts when you realize how real this is.” Evan’s hand now rested over the closed casket where his late fiancée’s lifeless body lied inside. As he imagined how happy he would be if none of that had happened, his hand turned into a fist as the reality of living without a family made him curse the world for betraying him like that.

“Mr. Fong?”

The voice behind him was familiar and when he looked behind him, he realized it belonged to the detective responsible for his case. That was the least thing he needed and he really didn’t want to deal with him.

“This is a private ceremony. What are you doing here?” Evan harshly said, making his assistant feel awkward at the way he talked to the only hope they had of solving the brutal crime.

“I’m here to investigate a murder and keep you updated. The responsible for it may be here and we are on the lookout for any suspicious activity.”

“I know all these people. You can’t possibly think any of them had anything to do with this.”

“Until we have a lead to follow, I’m not discarding anyone as a suspect.” Luke said and as much as he knew dealing with a loss was hard, he needed the only survivor of the attack to focus and help with the investigation.

“So, you came all the way from your office to tell me you don’t have anything? What kind of detective are you? A very incompetent one, I say.” Evan’s rage was building as he unloaded it all on the one who should have arrested the ones who invaded his house that fateful evening. He took his sunglasses off and looked straight into the eyes of the man wearing a raincoat. “If you want to catch the guys who did this, look somewhere else. Only respectable people were allowed in here today and that doesn’t include you.”

“Alright. My condolences, Mr. Fong.” Luke nodded at the words and made his way back to the police cruiser. He had other agents who would warn him if anything happened, so he didn’t take that banishment personal. He dealt with cases like that many times before. And it was always the same.

As soon as the detective was out of sight, Evan turned his attention back to the casket and after a few last words, he put his sunglasses back on, stood silently next to his young assistant and watched the rest of the ceremony in silence. He refused to be the one to carry one of the caskets. It might be a form of denial to what happened, but he didn’t care. He only threw a rose into each grave because Bryce insisted for him to do so.

He didn’t want to admit it, the death of the woman who he planned on building a life together was the one that hurt him the most. He watched her eyes close that night. Her lips and cheerful voice went quiet. A cruel silence and a dreadful loneliness were all that remained, forcing him to suffocate in his own tears, that refused to roll, denying him the consolation of being able to cry. Why was he alive if she was his life? Her and the small innocent that didn’t deserve to suffer without even being born. The rain never seemed to cease and even though it seemed appropriate for said circumstances, he just wished he was also being buried along with his deceased beloved ones.

* * *

A few days passed ever since the funeral and every day he was accompanied by a young nurse Bryce had hired to help him with his recovery, mostly changing bandages and controlling the medicine he was supposed to take. Evan was actually impressed by the professionalism of the healthcare worker and how the subject of his tragedy was never brought up by the dedicated employee. Ironic how a stranger respected his pain more than his long-time acquaintances. In fact, he had dismissed all of his other servants, because in many occasions he found them whispering about his situation with disdain. The mansion now was inhabited mostly by his dreary figure and the nurse with their scheduled work hours.

Evan was watching the television, but even though his eyes were looking at the screen, his mind always drifted to his current situation of hoping the responsible ones for that horrendous act would get caught. He just stopped his train of thought once Mike walked into the living room carrying a tray with a glass of water and a pill that would soothe the constant rib cage pain he had been feeling. Shifting on the couch he reached for it and placed in his mouth, before washing it down his throat with the somewhat tasteless liquid. Sometimes he would prefer to experience the aching in his still recovering bones. They certainly hurt less than the aching in his heart.

“Evan? Can I come in?” Both men heard Bryce’s voice echoing in the main hall as the blond one poked his head through the doorway. The Asian tycoon had given his assistant a copy of the key to his house so he was allowed in and out due to his constant proofs of loyalty and the fact that Evan wasn’t really apt to be moving to answer the door many times a day.

“Yeah, I’m in the living room with Satt.” His reply was clearly heard by Bryce, who closed the door behind him after stepping inside and heading to the couch where his boss was sitting on. “Glad you finally took that trip to the Caribbean I have been offering for you to go. You look rested. More than I can say about myself. How’s Ohm, by the way?”

“He’s fine. He’s just been nervous because he we started an adoption process of the most beautiful little girl and…” Bryce’s speech came into a brutal stop as the assistant remembered that in that disastrous evening, his boss’ late fiancée planned to surprise the family with the news that she was expecting. “I’m so sorry, Evan. I-I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“It’s ok, Bryce. I’m happy for you, really. Are those papers that need to be signed?”

“Yes, here you go. I also postponed all of your appointments, but I’m afraid the AGM next month can’t be cancelled.”

“Oh, yeah. I mean, shareholders only care about profits and they won’t miss the opportunity to hear about them.” Evan went through the contracts of distributors, logistics and marketing, not bothering to read a single line for he trusted his lawyers and mostly his assistant who wouldn’t allow any harm to come to the company because of a bad deal. Once they were all signed, he handed the files over the one that brought them his way. “Is that all?”

“I think so. Oh, the store you bought the diamond necklace called and they wanted to know if you would like another one or just the money you paid for it. I told them you rather have the money back.”

“Seems like the most reasonable decision. Thanks, Bryce. And if you need any legal help with the adoption process, my lawyers are at your disposal. Well, it’s late and I think you should head home now.”

“Just gotta take this back to the office first. Goodnight, Evan. Bye, Satt.”

With that, Bryce walked away from the two. The nurse, who knew the blond male for a long time waved his hand and went back into changing the wound dressing of Evan’s right knee so it would stay moist and clean. After going through an arthroscopy, he was condemned to use the crutches for a couple more weeks and his assistant knew he wouldn’t take care on his own, so Mike was hired to make sure his recovery ran accordingly to the doctor’s orders, especially regarding the exercises he was instructed to do while he was at the physiotherapist. But, before they could start, the doorbell rang.

“Bryce must have left his keys behind. I’ll go answer it.” Mike then stood up from his kneeling position and headed to the front door, expecting to see his friend once he opened it, but his eyesight was filled with a very striking looking man in overcoat that truly called his attention. “Hum, can I help you, gentleman?”

“Detective Luke Patterson, sir. Is Mr. Fong available?” the long-bearded officer eyed the youngster with interest, but trying to focus on the reason why he headed to the modernist mansion.

“Yes, he is. Follow me, please.”

The two made their way past the hall and into the living room, where Evan still questioning the point of remaining alive when there was no point of living when all that was left of him was money. Cold pieces of paper that wouldn’t console his massive loss. He was now an orphan in every sense of the word. But, as soon as the sight of the detective gave him a glimmer of hope that the ones responsible for that atrocity would pay for what they’ve caused.

“Mr. Fong, we found a suspect. It’s not much, but we have solid evidence that this is our guy.” Luke’s announcement made the tycoon stand up abruptly. The millionaire lost his balance, forgetting to properly support himself with the crutches, which caused him to fall back on the couch. After that scene, Mike promptly positioned himself beside his patient, and helped him get on his feet.

“What evidence?” Evan questioned the officer, unsure if he should be happy for finally hearing something good for a change or angry at the unknown person who participated in the massacre that took place inside that same mansion.

“We received a call from a pawn shop yesterday morning, saying someone wanted to sell a diamond necklace. They said the man wouldn’t tell how he got a hold of it, but they bought it anyway. After we examined the stones, we saw some blood splatters that weren’t properly cleaned and an employee of the jewelry store you bought it confirmed it was the same necklace.” As Luke explained the operation, he could notice the Asian man’s hands turn into fists. “Today, we matched the description the owner of the pawn shop gave is with a low life criminal known as Bullet in the streets. We went into his house and first thing we see is the bag with a hundred thousand grand in cash that this Bullet couldn’t explain the origin.”

“So, now what?”

“He’s been taken into custody. He hasn’t said anything but we’re trying to get him to talk. I contacted the DA’s office and they told me we have enough to prosecute him for possession of stolen property. We might not be able to frame him for murder, for that we would need a confession. But, according to the DA, he might tell us what he knows if he realizes he can get a harder sentence, and right now he keeps repeating he doesn’t know anything.”

“There were five of them that night.”

“I know and he might have participated. We are still going to interrogate him one last time before prosecuting him, if he changes his mind about keeping quiet. If not, the employees of the pawn shop agreed to testify. He is not getting away, I can tell you that.”

“Well, I hope you are right.”

* * *

The day of the trial was an especially stressful one for Evan. He was told the suspect confessed and that they could prosecute him for murder. So, when he went past the doors of the court and sat down on one of the benches, he waited for the trial to start. He didn’t say anything to Bryce or Mike, for he wanted it to do it alone, as he already knew the detective would be there, accompanying the whole process. Still, he was glad for being able to make his way past the news teams that gathered in front of the building, wanting a statement he had no intention of giving.

“All rise.” The bailiff ordered as the judge made his way into the room. Evan stood up, glad he was now just needing one crutch to support himself. At the same time, they brought in the suspect and they changed glances. Bullet, as he was called, smiled at the tycoon, which made Evan’s blood boil inside his vessels. He hoped for the death penalty, mostly because torturing the one who confessed he participated in the massacre in his house wasn’t an option.

“Your honor, before we start this trial, I’m afraid my client can’t be prosecuted for a crime he didn’t commit.” The defense attorney announced, which called the attention of everyone inside the courtroom. “According to my client, he was suffering pressure to confess by one of the officers in the case, which means the case is empty and without any evidence.”

“Your honor…” The prosecutor tried to have a word but was interrupted by the judge.

“Does the defense have any proof that the confession was not willingly signed by the defendant?”

“Yes, your honor. We have requested the footage of the last interrogation and I’d like to show what happened in the station.” The defense attorney requested the television on top of a cart was brought in and positioned in front of the judge and the jury. As soon as the play button was pressed, a very infuriated officer was in choking the suspect, and the yells for the confession to be signed could be heard, shocking everyone that was present in the courtroom. Evan looked behind him and the detective had the same look of surprise as anyone else.

“Did you know about this?” He questioned Luke, who shook his head in denial.

“No, I never thought one of my men would do something like that”

“Your honor, as we all can see, the confession cannot be admissible in court because of the methods it was acquired. Without it, there is no proof that ties my client to what happened in Mr. Fong’s residence. I request, your honor, to call it a mistrial.” As the defense attorney said it, the ones present started to discuss the revelation, causing tumult inside the courtroom until the judge used his gavel several times.

“Order!” The judge said, and once silence reigned inside the room, he moved his attention to the prosecutor. “Does the DA have any other proof of the involvement of the defendant in the occurrences of the murder, assault and robbery in Mr. Fong’s residence?”

“No, your honor.”

“Then I’m afraid this trial cannot proceed.” The judge stood up and so did everyone else. Bullet looked behind him, straight at the tycoon who couldn’t believe what was happening. The suspect still had a smile across his face while Luke ran his hands over his hair, frustrated at his own team for the methods that were used to get a signed confession. He was back to the starting point and other than he already investigated, there was no lead he could follow.

* * *

Evan walked out of the building, feeling lack of oxygen and an urge to throw up at what he had witnessed. The suspect also made his way out of the court beside his lawyer. As reporters and cameramen climbed the steps to get a statement on the outcome of the case from the defendant, Bullet looked at the tycoon and mouthed a ‘sorry’, which was followed by a smirk and a middle finger in Evan’s direction.

“With honor, I can say that today, my client didn’t face injustice. Because of a misunderstanding, they tried to forcefully frame my client with murder…” As the attorney went on and on with his speech, something unleashed the anger that Evan has been bottling up for weeks ever since the tragedy and the only opportunity he had of making any legal progress in making one of them pay for what they’ve caused was just a waste of time. He supported himself on both his feet walked towards the suspect, as the news crew gave them room to walk away, but before they could do so, Evan took hold of his crutch by the tip and swung it hard enough to knock Bullet on his front, making him fall back on the ivory steps. “Someone stop him!”

The cameramen filmed Evan as the tycoon straddled the suspect and threw punches over and over against the face of the criminal. Luke stormed out of the building after being called by one of his men, rapidly walking down the steps and pulling Evan away from the suspect. The lonely heir tried to fight the detective’s grip, who did his best to try to pull his handcuffs out and put them around Evan’s wrists. With a lot of effort, he managed to fight the muscular arms of the millionaire with his own, only to receive a knock on his face by the back of the Asian man’s head. He could taste the blood, but he wasn’t going to have it hard on Evan, but he was now forced to arrest him for assault. The other officers pushed the crowd away from the scene, but the news channels had enough footage of Mr. Fong’s violence, before recording him being put inside a police cruiser and taken to the station.

There, the first thing Evan could hear was the television, set on the news channel, reporting his outburst. He wasn’t proud of what he did, but he needed to get it out of his system. Luke guided him across the station as the other officers watched the millionaire being taken into a cell. The long-bearded detective then removed the cuffs and handed Evan his crutch, before closing the cell door. He sighed at the situation he found himself in and looked at the rich young man through the bars, unsure of what to say, deciding to leave him to calm down before discussing what they could do next.

Evan removed his suit jacket and tie, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt before plopping down onto the iron seat inside the cell. A tall male that was leaning against the wall approached him and looked down at his pathetic image. They changed glances for a while, until the stranger smiled and laughed a little, which made Evan look away and hold onto his jacket, after placing his crutch against the wall.

“You’re the guy that flipped in front of the court, right? That shit was funny, dude.” The man broke the silence but Evan didn’t feel like replying. He wanted to forget everything. On the way to the station, he considered overdosing the painkillers Mike has been administrating and put an end on his own life. “So, can’t trust these fuckers to do the job, huh?”

“You say that because you are here or you just want to bother me with chit chat?” Evan finally responded to the attempts of conversation from the taller male, who took his cue and sat down beside the tycoon, his smile no longer plastered on his face. It didn't seem like the man was looking for trouble. In fact, despite his size and a few obvious bruises, the stranger possessed some sort of peace in his features. He dared to say the man usually lost his temper but that didn't mean he was a bad person.

“I’m here because of a bar fight. Usually happens on weekends and come the morning after, I’m outta here. Look, everybody knows what happened to you. And if you want my opinion, there is nothing else the cops can do for you. They are so desperate for a conviction that they even used violence to get it. Yeah, I watched the trial. It was boring as hell, but it is not like these motherfuckers would change to the sports channel so I saw everything. If it makes you feel any better, I would have punched the guy myself.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Really, they are putting so much effort in closing your case because you got dough. If a guy like you can’t be safe with your millions in this town, who can? It’s not good for election year to have this much violence. But I have the solution to your problems.”

“No shit. Heard that one before. It always comes with a huge price.”

“Consider this a tip. This bar I fought in, there is this bartender, he does the job you need. It’s on the border of the town. They won’t take a dandy like you seriously, so wear something discreet. No fancy cars too. He only takes payment in cash, half upfront, half after the job is done. He won’t kill women or children, so don’t insist. 50K per target. And he only takes jobs with referral, so make sure to say that Wildcat sent you. But, to make sure he won’t have any doubts, you gonna need a password. So, when he asks what you’re having, tell him ‘I’m feeling a little delirious tonight, what do you suggest?’”

“Why are you helping me? What’s in it for you?”

“Hey, I may not be a saint, but I wouldn’t wish what happened to you to my worst enemy. Besides, that bartender is my pal and he’s been needing some cash. You need someone to do what the coppers couldn’t, so let’s just say this meeting was supposed to happen.”

“Ok, then. Thanks for the tip, Wildcat.”

* * *

Hours have passed and Luke awaited some of his agents to come back and tell him that the tycoon could be released since Bullet wouldn’t press charges. He knew the suspect wouldn’t do it. He had a criminal record, so he didn’t want anything with the police, even if it was to accuse Evan of a crime. So, while waiting for the boring bureaucracy part to be over, he used the hand grippers he had in his office desk, exercising the tension he had been feeling during the past weeks for trying to get a conviction after being pressured by the mayor, who clearly wanted to reelect. And an unsolved case regarding one of the richest inhabitants of the town was not a good campaign platform.

But, as soon as he received the call from one of his men, he called Evan’s assistant to pick him up. He couldn’t hide his smile once he heard the young nurse he met a couple of days before was the one who’d drop by the station to take his client home. After a few minutes, he sighted the law enforcer captured by the cameras, forcing the suspect to sign the confession that blew the whole case walk into the station. With a huff, he marched towards the officer and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him into the hallway, before pressing him against the wall.

“You. Because of you, we lost a great opportunity of solving this case, now that fucking murderer is walking free. What the hell were you thinking? That is not how we work.” Luke’s anger was standing out in his tone. “If I hear about you not following the protocols again, I will personally take you to the commissioner so he can fire you and I can kick your ass out of here. Do you understand me?”

“Hum, I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’m here to take Mr. Fong home.” The familiar voice helped the detective calm down. He let go of the officer with questionable methods and turned his attention to the young professional who he hoped for other opportunities to get to know him better. “Detective Luke Patterson, right?”

“That’s me.” The officer tried to sound calm at the presence of the nurse that caught his eye. So, with a warm smile, he stepped closer, hoping their obvious age difference wouldn't come in between any chance he had of successfully asking the other out on a date.

“Oh, you have a split lip. Let me see.” Before the older male could reply, Mike was already holding his chin up, before moving it down, examining the cut attentively, but soon letting go and smiling at the detective. “It is not deep, but I’d suggest you pour some honey on it every morning and evening. It should be gone in a few days. And try to avoid licking the area. If you do, it will only make it worse.”

“Huh, thanks for the advice. Now, follow me. We don’t want to keep Mr. Fong waiting.” Luke said and gestured so the nurse would accompany him to the cell where the tycoon was being held in. As the door was unlocked, Evan looked up at the long-bearded man beside the one taking care of his health. “You’re free to go, Mr. Fong. You still gonna stay here, Tyler.”

“What a bummer. Bye, Evan.” The tall man in the cell said as he watched the businessman make his way out and across the station, before signing papers and getting some of his belongings back.

Once outside, Mike and his client entered the limousine that awaited in front of the building. The young heir was pensive about what the man he met told him. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he couldn't rely on the police force. He had waited long enough for a just outcome to what happened in his life, and he had nothing to lose if he decided to hire a professional to get his revenge on who took away the most precious thing he had. So, without even blinking, he pulled out his phone and called his assistant.

“Bryce, I need you to bring me one million in cash. One hundred dollar bills. There is a deal I gotta close.”

_“You sure? I can transfer the money directly to the other party, so you don't need to be carrying that much money around.”_

“That won't be necessary. I'm afraid this other party likes to do it the classic way.”

_“Alright. Getting in contact with the bank right now.”_

“Thanks, Bryce.”

* * *

After his assistant brought the shiny suitcase with the money, Evan took a shower and transferred the bills into a backpack. He put on a shirt, leather jacket, jeans, boots and a cap. All in black so he wouldn't call attention like Tyler instructed him. Instead of going into his vast garage with many sports cars options or calling for the chauffeur, he requested an Uber and made his way to the poor side of town, leaving behind his crutch for he didn’t want to deal with that slowing him down.

Once he got there, he could see the bar with flickering neon lights. ‘H2O’ it was called and seemed like a popular place by the amount of people Evan could see inside the establishment through the windows. Taking a deep breath, he made his way inside, noticing a few customers looking at him, probably because he wasn't a regular. Ignoring their gaze, he walked to the counter, trying to hide his slight limp as the sound of people playing pool and laughing filled his ears.

He stood right in front of what seemed to be a man in his early thirties. Even in that light, the bright blue hoodie was still very striking to his eyes. The sleeves were pulled up to just before his elbows, which gave Evan the opportunity to see the shark tattooed on the right forearm, as it moved due to the rag the bartender dragged across the surface of the counter to clean it up. All the while, the tycoon wouldn’t let go of the backpack, not even when he sat down on one of the stools.

“What you’re having, newbie?” The supposed hitman asked, not caring about looking at the one sitting on the other side of the counter.

“I’m feeling a little delirious tonight, what do you suggest?” Evan’s response called the attention of the bartender, who stopped his repetitive motions with the rag and looked at him for the first time ever since he arrived. He couldn’t help but take a good look at the man who was supposed to be the answer to his problems. The short hair, the dark eyes and fair skin gave the man a somewhat innocent look.

“I’d tell you to wait until the bar closes so we can talk without interruptions.” The bartender then let go of the rag and Evan attentively watched him pour lemon juice, vodka and blue curaçao into a mixer and shake it a few times before pouring it all into a glass that had ice cubes inside. Then a can of lemon soda was opened and added to the drink until the glass was full. It was later decorated with half a slice of orange and a cherry before being placed in front of the unique client. “While you wait, have a blue lagoon.”

“I don't drink.”

“And I don't care. If you want to keep a low profile, you gonna have to drink. That is what people come to bars for, right?”

“I suppose.”

“Then stop bitching out and go for it.” The bartender’s voice sounded firm and as much as he didn't want to do it, the tycoon knew he would have to pretend he was there for a drink after work like most of the clients there. The last thing he wanted was to spend another minute inside a cell.

Evan then gave the bright blue drink a sip, which made his throat burn a bit. Although it didn't contain that much alcohol, he still wasn't used to that sort of beverage. The way his face scrunched up after he swallowed the liquid made the bartender chuckle in a unique way the tycoon had never heard before.

“Good shit, huh? Here, have some chips and dip on the side. You better not be in a rush. The bar is full, which means this is going to be a long night for you.”

“I've had worse nights than this, trust me…”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you guys think!


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